Letters to the editor: Candidate response

I seek the privilege of serving as your circuit court judge, Group 20, in Hillsborough County. Born and raised in Hillsborough, my husband and I are raising our two daughters here. I am committed to serving our community as a judge.

I practice complex commercial litigation, and started and run a free veterans legal services clinic at the VA hospital. I am honored to have been previously nominated for judge and to have received the endorsement of 25 of the past local bar association presidents, in addition to numerous business, elected and community leaders. I am grateful that more lawyers highly approve of my candidacy than any other circuit court candidate.

I graduated from Academy of the Holy Names, Davidson College and the University of Michigan Law School, magna cum laude. On Election Day, I would appreciate your vote.

Laura E. Ward

Tampa

The writer is a candidate for Hillsborough County Circuit Court judge, Group 20.

Meal’s on the ACA

Regarding “Enjoy rebates, but remember who OK’d unregulated rates” (Kathy Castor, Other Views, July 31): So U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, is gaga over the Affordable Care Act provision that kicks back $42 million to 1 million policyholders in Florida — the most of any state. Wow. That comes out to $42 a year, enough for Kathy to enjoy a large pizza, wings and a rose-colored glass of whine.

I guess you have to drink the Kool-Aid to seriously believe that thousands of pages of Obamacare regulations will lead to lower prices. Reality has shown it has not. In my specific case, in 12 years of buying my own insurance, I have never met my deductible but have been able to maintain a fairly constant premium by raising my deductible periodically.

With Obamacare, I am no longer able to raise my deductible higher. It is at the upper Obamacare limit. I am grandfathered into my old policy for a few more months — but will be forced to change. The closest equivalent Obamacare-based policy is $150 more per month.

Kathy should rethink her assertion that regulation and redistribution leads to lower prices.

Thomas West

New Port Richey

Don’t hurry back

As a former Republican, some good news: Congress will do no harm for the next five weeks as it has yet another vacation. Members work one-third of the year — with outstanding issues: immigration, tax reform, public works, health care reform, etc.

Maybe it’s a good thing that they are gone. In the real world private sector (the GOP loves this) they would all be fired. Can we not invite them back?

Ross P. Alander

Tampa

Washington, er, Va. peanuts

Regarding “A name that’s impossible to defend” (Other Views, The Washington Post, July 30): Actually, Washington, D.C.’s football team doesn’t need to change its name. It needs to change its logo. They should take the Indian (Native American?) off the helmet and replace it with a Virginia Redskin peanut with half the shell removed to expose the two nuts inside, each securely encased in its red skin: Washington (Virginia?) Redskins!

But then, here we go with unintended consequences. A lot of folks seem to have become allergic to peanuts (those nasty goobers that we dig out of the ground and eat — sometimes without ever sanitizing them). Of course, if your life has been so sanitary that you have never had the opportunity to develop any immunities, you may have an unpleasant reaction. Hopefully, you will know about the allergy before you partake of the treat and will avoid it. Of course, the fact that increasing numbers of people seem to have become allergic to peanuts in the past number of years may create a problem. Surely Redskins owner Dan Snyder would not want to insult those allergic folks with the new logo.

It is likely there are a lot more people with valid allergic problems than there are folks with legitimate objections to the existing logo. So maybe the “peanut” logo isn’t such a good idea after all. Hmmm...

By the way, what do you suppose the name of and the opening line of the Redskins anthem ( “Hail to the Redskins”) really means? Perhaps a secret code intended to denigrate American Indians? I rather doubt it.

J. L. Bispo

Spring Hill

Government math?

Reference: “Congress should pass VA fix” (Our Views, July 31): You mention that nearly 500 top VA executives received bonuses averaging $9,000. You mention the new deal would cut the bonus program in half — from $800 million to $400 million. Based on the numbers you provided, the $800 million program would have provided $10,000 bonuses to 80,000 VA employees. Perhaps government math is different than mine: $9,000 each to 500 top executives is $4,500,000. What happened to the other $795,500,000?

After a long run in the Tampa Tribune sports department, Joe Henderson now shares his thoughts on the people and places that make up daily life in our city.

Tom Jackson

Tom Jackson’s baseball card — if he had one — would report he throws left, writes right. In his columns and blog, “The Right Stuff,” southpaw Jackson provides insight into the evolving human condition from a distinctly conservative point of view.Column | Blog